Re: from Agnosia to diagnosis to the Pissing Evile
While we are on the theme of medical terminology in general and "pissing
evile" in particular, it may be of interest to recall why "diabetes
mellitus" and "diabetes insipidus" are so called.
"Mellitus" is Latin for "honeyed," that is "sweetened with or as with
honey." "Insipidus," also a Latin word, means "insipid," "tasteless." Both
mellitus or insipidus, in the case of diabetes, refer to the taste of the
urine. The TASTE of the urine? Well, yes. As diabetes mellitus is
characterized by large amounts of sugar in the urine whereas there is no
sugar in the urine of diabetes insipidus, in the pre-laboratory era,
physicians were able to differentiate the two diseases by putting a little
urine in the mouth. In one case it was "honeyed," in the other, being very
diluted on account of the large volume of it, it was "insipid."
Today the lab has eliminated the need for such tasting exercises. Who says
that there is no progress?
By the way, the term "diabetes," seems to be derived from the Greek "dia,"
("to go through," "to move away,") and "baino" ("to walk"). Used by
Hippocrates in the sense of "to walk" or "stand with legs wide apart"
("diabainein"). One wonders if the legs apart refer to the frequent
urinations on the part of the patient.
Plinio Prioreschi, MD, PhD